Capital One QuicksilverOne vs PayPal Cashback Mastercard
Side-by-side comparison
| Capital One QuicksilverOne | PayPal Cashback Mastercard | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $39 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | No current offer | No current offer |
| Dining | 1.5x | 1.5x |
| Groceries | 1.5x | 1.5x |
| Gas | 1.5x | 1.5x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 1.5x |
| Streaming | 1.5x | 1.5x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 1.5x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $437 | $437 |
| Points type | Pools with Capital One → transferable | Cash back only |
| Network | Mastercard | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Capital One QuicksilverOne earns about $437 a year in rewards and the PayPal Cashback Mastercard about $437, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Capital One QuicksilverOne charges $39, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The PayPal Cashback Mastercard has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the PayPal Cashback Mastercard delivers more total value, about $39 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it skips the annual fee the other charges. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Capital One QuicksilverOne earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the PayPal Cashback Mastercard pays plain cash back. Favor the Capital One QuicksilverOne if you will use travel transfers, the PayPal Cashback Mastercard if you want simplicity.